US2025292996A1PendingUtilityA1

Plasma processing apparatus

75
Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LTDPriority: May 14, 2020Filed: May 29, 2025Published: Sep 18, 2025
Est. expiryMay 14, 2040(~13.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Bongseong KimMasahiro InoueMitsunori OhataKen Kobayashi
H10P 50/242H01J 37/3211H01J 37/32018H01J 37/32137H01J 37/32715H01J 2237/334H01J 37/32165H01J 37/32706H01J 37/321H01J 37/32146H01L 21/3065H01J 2237/3341H01J 37/32174
75
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Claims

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber; a source RF generator configured to generate a source RF signal to generate a plasma, and a bias RF generator coupled to the substrate support and configured to generate a bias RF signal. The source RF signal having a first source power level during a first period, a second source power level during a second period, a third source power level during a third period, a zero power level during a fourth period, a zero power level during a fifth period. The bias RF signal having a first bias power level during the first period, a second bias power level during the second period, a third bias power level during the third period, a zero power level during the fourth period, a fourth bias power level during the fifth period.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
 a plasma processing chamber;   a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber;   a source RF generator configured to generate a source RF signal to generate a plasma in the plasma processing chamber, the source RF signal having a first source power level during a first period at each cycle, a second source power level during a second period subsequent to the first period at each cycle, a third source power level during a third period subsequent to the second period at each cycle, a zero power level during a fourth period subsequent to the third period at each cycle, a zero power level during a fifth period subsequent to the fourth period at each cycle, the first source power level being different from the second source power level and the third source power level, the second source power level being different from the third source power level; and   a bias RF generator coupled to the substrate support and configured to generate a bias RF signal, the bias RF signal having a first bias power level during the first period, a second bias power level during the second period, a third bias power level during the third period, a zero power level during the fourth period, a fourth bias power level during the fifth period, the first bias power level being different from the second bias power level and the third bias power level, the second bias power level being different from the third bias power level.   
     
     
         2 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first source power level is greater than the second source power level. 
     
     
         3 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the second source power level is greater than the third source power level. 
     
     
         4 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first bias power level is greater than the second bias power level. 
     
     
         5 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the second bias power level is less than the third bias power level. 
     
     
         6 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first bias power level is less than the third bias power level. 
     
     
         7 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the fourth bias power level is equal to the first bias power level. 
     
     
         8 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first bias power level is greater than the second bias power level. 
     
     
         9 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the second bias power level is less than the third bias power level. 
     
     
         10 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the first bias power level is less than the third bias power level. 
     
     
         11 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the fourth bias power level is equal to the first bias power level. 
     
     
         12 . An RF system for a plasma processing apparatus, the RF system comprising:
 a source RF generator configured to generate a source RF signal, the source RF signal having a first source power level during a first period at each cycle, a second source power level during a second period subsequent to the first period at each cycle, a third source power level during a third period subsequent to the second period at each cycle, a zero power level during a fourth period subsequent to the third period at each cycle, a zero power level during a fifth period subsequent to the fourth period at each cycle, the first source power level being different from the second source power level and the third source power level, the second source power level being different from the third source power level; and   a bias RF generator configured to generate a bias RF signal, the bias RF signal having a first bias power level during the first period, a second bias power level during the second period, a third bias power level during the third period, a zero power level during the fourth period, a fourth bias power level during the fifth period, the first bias power level being different from the second bias power level and the third bias power level, the second bias power level being different from the third bias power level.   
     
     
         13 . The RF system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first source power level is greater than the second source power level. 
     
     
         14 . The RF system according to  claim 13 , wherein the second source power level is greater than the third source power level. 
     
     
         15 . The RF system according to  claim 14 , wherein the first bias power level is greater than the second bias power level. 
     
     
         16 . The RF system according to  claim 12 , wherein the second bias power level is less than the third bias power level. 
     
     
         17 . The RF system according to  claim 16 , wherein the first bias power level is less than the third bias power level. 
     
     
         18 . The RF system according to  claim 17 , wherein the fourth bias power level is equal to the first bias power level.

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